KirkD
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A Fertile Cocoon
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What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/05 23:25
I've harvested 2 10 gallon bins of worm castings about 2 weeks ago, but things aren't going too well. The worms are VERY healthy and one bin was LOADED!! (After scooping into the castings the worms looked like a big pile of red spaghetti!!) This is good, obviously, but I'm having issues with water and smell.
In general, the bins don't smell, but as water collects, the smell goes up. I add dry newspaper shreds to soak up the water, but there has been a lot of standing water. I understand that fruit and veggies are primarily water, but how do I get around this problem? Drain holes aren't a good option due to my storage location.
Next, during harvesting, the castings are more like loose mud. I tried to make a screener with 2x4s and 1/4 inch mesh. After scooping some of the castings onto the mesh and a little shaking, nothing falls through and the castings form into wet clumps.
I transfered the castings in another 10 gallon tub for storage. After sitting for 2 weeks there is a significant smell and they are essentially mud. In reality, they are more akin to a 4-letter word I won't use here. I'm concerned that they won't be fit to put onto plants or in the garden after storage. Can they effectively go bad during storage until next spring??
Seems bizarre, but I really enjoy this whole process and have an attachment to the worms themselves. They're like pets. Any help at all in controlling the water issue is greatly appreciated.
-Kirk
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Bob Ingram
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/06 06:15
Kirk, the smell is not good, as it usually means things are going anaerobic on you. If you're not over watering, you may be feeding too many veggie scraps at one time, as they can be up to 80% water. You probably picked a good time to harvest; unchecked, you could have lost your worm herd as well. I'd add bedding and slow down on the feeding until the smell abates. Seeya, Bob
www.trinity-ranch.com |
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Judy
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/06 10:06
There just seems to be a critical mass point where all the moisture from the veggies isn't managed by the bin. I tip my bins so the moisture will tend to run to one end, giving the worms some place to escape or choose a different moisture level.
Jay Blair says he drops some clay cat litter (cheap, unscented) into wet beds to help soak up the moisture.
I agree with Bob COMPLETELY. Your smell is coming from too much food, not too much moisture. Remember, they are being offered a smorgasbord of microbes on the newspaper which can slow up their work on the veggies. Hard as it is, I would let them go for a couple weeks before added any more food.
If you have extra veggies/fruits, bag them and freeze them for low food times. This summer my worms enjoyed a bag of melon from last year.
When Life Gives You Scraps, Make A Quilt. |
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redhen
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/06 10:31
I read that you cannot drain your bins because of the location. I can't imagine trying to run my bins without drainage, because everything,(feedstock),I put in there is about 80% water and it has got to be released in there somewhere. I have helped people set up bins, that are inside and, if it's a rubbermaid type bin, we just nest the working bin (with holes for drainage on the bottom)inside another tote with no holes. The smell would indicate anaerobic conditions, that can come from too much moisture. When I store compost, I use a tote with holes just like the working bins. If your castings are very wet, just stir them once in a while to add air and leave the top off (don't add paper to you castings that are harvested). I have harvested and stored castings, of the smelly variety and after a good airing the smell disipates quickly. They become more the right moisture (like a fresh bag of potting soil) and can stay in those containers, perhaps years. The castings also get better with some aging. Just make sure your containers have air holes and a top.
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth. |
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KirkD
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A Fertile Cocoon
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/06 12:40
Thanks for all the great advice. I did some reading through the various articles that review bins and got some ideas.
I'm realizing now that my bins are not ventilated well enough, so I'm going to work on that one. I may cut a hole in the tops and place some fine mesh across the top to prevent escape. That would open the ventilation system significantly.
Drainage will also have to be implemented in some way. Nesting the bins sounds like the best option. I can easily get holes in the bottom of the upper bin, but how do you keep the worms from escaping into the drainage bin? I assume another fine mesh attached to the bottom would be useful, but I'll have to figure a way to attach it. I may just cut another hole like the one in the top and attach a mesh in the same way. This would make the bin into a set of walls and being open on top and bottom. Should I consider adding cross bars as well? One commercial bin has PVC piping across the bin, but that seems a little excessive.
Redhen mentioned the castings have the texture of a fresh bag of potting soil. Mine are more like a bag of potting soil that was left open in a monsoon. 8^) I'm not sure if these are salvagable or not. I assume that the castings should fall through a 1/4 inch mesh farily easily without clumping, correct? Such a screener/sifter would make harvesting a LOT easier.
Fortunately, the worms themselves are doing great. I would estimate that in 3 months they've quadrupled in population. I guess that's what I get when I feed them so well. 8^) Is there a good rule of thumb for feeding? I've heard one-to-one worm mass to food mass per week, but what about a visual rule? Don't feed until previous food is gone?
Again, thanks for all the great tips and advice. I'm actually really enjoying this more than I thought I ever would - maybe more than I should. 8^) The most impressive thing is that through this and my recycling program, I've reduced my household trash volume to about 3/4 of a bag per week!! Go green!
-Kirk
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redhen
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/06 21:10
Kirk..The most important thing is, the worms themselves are doing great. I smile now, when remember how I had 'worm casting' envy, every time someone would post about screening their castings. Mine were mud that had no intention of ever screening. It was a moisture problem, that needed to be addressed and monitored, in plastic bins especially.
IMHO..I would not worry about worms escaping. If you make their environment just the way they like it, they have no where else they would rather be. Kind of like a worm resort. If their environment becomes bad, for them, they will leave. They can fit through a very small screen. I have seen them fit through a pinhole. Let the worms lead you, as to what works. It sounds like you are having fun and 3/4's of a bag of trash per week is very admirable.
I have now added outdoor/inground bins, that I love, because I do not have to monitor them. They are more stable and forgiving, which is good because around here there is not a lot of time to spend and you have to have the will to live.. 
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth. |
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Bob Ingram
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/07 07:58
Hi, Kirk. All the mesh there is won't keep em in. You just need a little more drainage.
Kelly Slocum phrased it the best...she said once: you keep worms in by creating 'worm heaven' rather than 'worm hell'. Under 'ideal' conditions worms will eat from 1/2 up to their body weight per day, but you have to remember this includes the bedding as well as what you add as feed. Seeya, Bob
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MaryKay
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A Hatchling Earthworm
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/07 12:32
Hi, Instead of nesting 2 bins why not use the lid that came with the bin under the worm bed. Make some legs (using for example upside down yogurt cups) to put under bin including one in the middle of the bottom. This way you can see how much run off you have and you can retreive worms that escape. Make sure you turn the lid upside down so to have a deeper reservoir. Cover the top of the worm bed with cardboard. This will allow more air circulation and absorb some of the excess moisture. Don't be surprised if the worms eat their cover if it's moist.
www.wonderworms.com
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Judy
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/07 12:58
I use the smaller tubs and simply set the tub inside the lid. The extra drainage doesn't get away from me and it stays dry enough that only determined to escape worms will leave. Susan was right, they know where they are well off.
I keep a 'lid' of shredded newspaper on the top of the bin. This might be a blow away problem for outside bins. The papers next to the bedding are damp. If the bedding is drying out, this is where I add moisture. Eventually, the worms work their way through the paper. A few shredds always go down with new feed, etc.
When Life Gives You Scraps, Make A Quilt. |
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Kuznles
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/08 00:29
You have many good suggestions, let me just add if you decide to continue using a lid after you cut the hole in it, glue some ground cloth like that used in gardens instead of mulch. It will let air in but keep out pests and light.
I have ground cloths on some of my bins but mostly all I use is paper and a piece of old floor carpet.
KuznLes
Kountrykuznworms.com |
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KirkD
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A Fertile Cocoon
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/08 13:02
Wow!! Great responses and tips. Thanks to everyone. Plus, I visited your site, Bob - nice!!
Now that I have a million ideas, I'll start working on them. Once I have a solution in hand, I'll post some updates to let you know how it goes.
Again, I appreciate all the help. And, the new site is very nice. Good work and good life to all!!
-Kirk
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amystew
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A Hatchling Earthworm
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/10/10 00:21
Drainage sounds like the key to me. Worm castings should be about as damp as a wrung-out sponge. I find that standing water can really stink as it becomes anaerobic.
I use shredded paper (either computer paper that goes through my office shredder or newspaper torn into strips) on top of the bedding. Keeps the worms in, the flies out, and it absorbs some moisture. And of course the worms eat it, too.
Good luck! Sounds like things are going well!
Amy Stewart
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loonyhiker
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A Hatchling Earthworm
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Re:What am I doing wrong?? - 2005/12/11 16:32
Sorry to be off topic, but wanted to mention Amy that I read your book to my science class this year. They are high school special ed students who have trouble reading but they really enjoyed listening. Thanks for writing on a level that my kids could understand!
loony
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